14/02/2018 Winter Olympics Extra

Brilliant run from Chloe Kim.

Glorious slalom skiing.

It is all

gold for Nielsen tonight.

The Dutch

are gold.

It's a glorious night for

him.

Canada pars-mac night.

Day four proved to be very dramatic

indeed and Day five, we are

expecting more of the same from the

Winter Olympics hearing PyeongChang.

After Chloe Kim claimed gold for

America in the women's halfpipe

yesterday, we will see how the men

get on the day. Can Sean Whyte

reclaim his -- can Shaun White

reclaim his gold medal? But first,

it is the pairs figure skating.

When it comes to the pairs, I think

this will be the most opening this

Olympics. The Chinese, the world

champions, they'll probably

favourites for the gold and what a

story they had. She had her ankles

rebuilt before they came back to win

the World Championship last year.

They were put together aged ten and

12 for this Olympics. They have to

be favourites. Although quite

uncommonly, one of them fell in the

Grand Prix final and made a mistake,

which is something other of them has

ever done. For me, they are the

favourites, and exquisite and

brilliant. But then you have got the

European champions who are coming

here with something to prove.

Russians have dominated pairs

skating for so many years, it will

be down to them to take a medal.

What colour? We will wait to see.

And then you have got the Canadians

who have been on podiums, nowhere

near, on the podium, nowhere near.

They are back on form and this will

be their last season. But then we

have got Aliona Savchenko and Bruno

Massot. He has gone through

everything he needed to do to go

from being French to German to be in

the Olympics for them, made it just

in time, only just got his passport,

they decided not to compete in the

Europeans say they had time to

prepare for the Olympics. Where will

they fit into the competition? It

will be very open. There are four if

not five teams of delivering medal

performances.

Five teams, three

medals. It will be very tight. And

we will see the North Koreans. They

have created a huge stir every time

they step onto the ice. They are

really winning people over. And

great to see North Korean athletes.

But let's make it clear, they are

not just stepping out of North Korea

for the first time. These are global

athletes, aren't they?

Yes, they

are. They came into the global

skating is seen at a level already.

What surprised most of us was the

quality of the skating. Where had

they learned that? They were

beautiful. They are top 15 in the

world, they will be top ten

eventually. These two are beautiful

skaters, often level and they will

be stepping onto that I is now in

the first Olympics representing

North Korea thing, this is who we

are, this is how we perform and we

do deserve to be head, because they

fit in very nicely.

It will be

really competitive. This is a really

good one to watch. I am looking

forward to this one.

And a historic moment as the pair

from North Korea skate out onto the

eyes here in South Korea. There was

a time when we didn't know whether

these guys would be here because

North Korea missed the deadline to

take up their entry but they were

granted a place. And here they are.

The first element, the triple twist.

Easy.

Side by side triple toe loops. Yes.

Throw triple loop.

Perfect footwork through the left,

change of direction midway as well.

Taking their moment of history in

their stride. Don't forget though,

this isn't the first time the world

has seen these skaters. They are

global athletes, they travel the

world. Some of these guys perhaps do

not. You can say what you like about

the Korean cheerleaders and what

they represent, the fact that they

are here is remarkable in itself.

They were so light and airy when

they performed back. I love to watch

them. There was a question as to

whether they would qualify for the

free. I think this performance has

guaranteed that.

And there's a

massive new season 's best. 65.25

their previous. 69.40 and

appreciation all around the stadium

from North and South Korean

sunlight. -- South Koreans alike. So

these are the Chinese national

champions. A beautiful short

programme to Swan Lake. It looks

like a ballet on ice. I think you

will enjoy this one. They only

teamed up last season.

But Zhang Hao, his fifth Olympics.

Beautiful side by side triple toe

loops.

The Chinese are known for their

jumps. Beautiful throw triple loop.

They perform it's a beautifully,

don't they? Physically, they are

such a mismatch but it all comes

together on the ice.

Well, he has

incredible experience. He's a

multiple world medallist and he was

Olympic silver medallist in 2006

with his previous partner. So the

Chinese are known for their throw

jumps and the speed across the ice.

It's the smoothness of that speed

that really sets them apart, too.

Pretty handy then from the Chinese.

They take the lead with a new season

's best, as well. This is our first

look at the reigning world

champions. We haven't seen them yet

on the Olympic ice hearing

PyeongChang. They didn't feature for

China in the team event, the Chinese

perhaps keeping their powder dry.

What a story, what a comeback for

them to win the last World

Championships in 2017. A terrible

injury meant she had double surgery

on both feet and had to learn to

walk again.

Triple toe loops to open.

Watch the size of this throw triple

flip. Absolutely glorious.

The triple twist.

And that is why they are the world

champions! She if I school. She is

known among her fans as the Empress.

-- she is ice cool.

I have goose

bumps up my neck. First because kd

lang's version of Hallelujah is my

favourite.

I was talking about the

surgery she had on her seat.

Remarkably, she learned to walk

again, she learned to skate again.

They won the World Championship in

2017, just a few months later. They

had problems as well with injury

which means we have not seen them

that much on the ice but they are

back. It is another season's best.

The world champions leap to the top

of the board.

So Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford

have already won a gold at this

Olympics. They won the team

competition over the last few days

but this is it. It is all about what

they can do individually. Meagan

took to Twitter earlier to say she

dropped her phone in a non-flushed

toilet. Let's hope that was not an

omen for today's performance.

Triple twist. Their jump of choice,

side by side triple Lutzes. The

hardest in the pairs event. It is

their second element.

They made them happen but they were

not the prettiest or the cleanest,

but they were there.

A touchdown there from Meagan on the

landing. A little tension.

Well, the stakes are so high for

these two at these games. Since the

last Olympics they have 12-macro

titles and they are gunning for

their first here in South Korea. You

could see the tension creeping into

the performance.

Certainly since the

performance they did at the team

event, this was not as clean.

event, this was not as clean.

They

are a couple of points off their

season's best. They are up to

second. The world champions from

China lead the way. An exquisite

performance from them.

Aliona and Bruno. Two time world

medallists. Aliona won bronze at the

last two Olympics. She is paired up

with Bruno Massot who only just got

his passport in time to make it to

compete! This is a really fun

routine.

The height on the twist.

That is

massive!

Oh, Bruno. Just a cell code.

-- just a double.

She has got the throw on one foot.

And he has a habit of touching down

or landing on two feet.

Personality and bizarre is by the

bagful from the Germans. But you can

see the disappointment on Bruno's

face instantly. He just missed that

jump.

Such a costly error. There is

no question that they will qualify.

They will want to be in a medal

position.

They will get just one

point four that double salchow as

opposed to five or six points they

could have got if he had done the

triple. So it is going to be costly.

76.5 nine. It is way down on their

season's best. They are in third

place so bronze medal position going

through to the free skate tomorrow.

There is one couple left to come.

The Olympic Athletes from Russia

took home the silver from the World

Championships. These two really

catapulted them up into the mix with

this routine. They are the newly

crowned European champions and world

bronze medallists.

Exquisite triple twist. Light. Great

flight across the ice and beautiful

control. Can they do the same on the

side by side triple toe loops? Yes,

they can.

The throw triple loop. Beautiful

again.

The European champions faultless

once again.

That was quite the

performance. For me, this was better

than the short programme they did in

the European competition. They

looked so calm and relaxed and yet

you know that has to be tension for

these elements to work properly.

Writes them, where did they end up?

The European champions have not

quite done enough to knock the

Chinese world champions from their

perch. Let's have a look at the

standings going into tomorrow's free

skate. The Chinese pair looking to

add the Olympic title to their world

crown. Then we have Evgenia Tarasova

and man-macro in second with Meagan

de Hamel and Eric Radford hunting

for a second medal of these games

after getting gold in the team

event. Aliona Savchenko and Bruno

Massot will need excellence tomorrow

to keep their medal hopes alive but

they are not far behind the

Canadians. So, the short element of

the pairs competition is done. Now

it is the next heat. It was good to

see the Chinese pair back at their

best?

Fantastic to see them back and what

they did was set it up so that

everyone who followed them had to be

perfect, and for the most part they

were. Fantastic skate from the

Russians who won the European

Championships. Had a great skate in

the team event, where even better

this afternoon but just not quite up

to the Chinese standard. But they

have set up to a good battle for

silver and gold. But with the German

pair, Bruno stumbling, it makes the

bronze medal more interesting.

You

have got the German pair just less

than a point behind the Canadians in

bronze and a host of others who

could push up in the free skating

morrow?

Yes, the points are not

great between first and third, less

than two points between first and

third. No one can afford to make any

mistakes tomorrow. They will need to

be technically perfect tomorrow and

it will be a great competition.

It

really will be. To recap, the

Chinese world champions are out in

front. The Olympic Athletes from

Russia are currently in silver medal

position and then it is a bunfight

for bronze.

And we will have highlights of the

pairs free skate tomorrow right here

on BBC Four to find out who can

claim that gold medal. Well, after

Chloe Kim's incredible performance

in the women's snowboard halfpipe

yesterday, America were hoping for a

second gold in the men's event.

Shaun White was the Nara favourite

going in but it wasn't going to be

easy after a tough few years for the

2010 champion, as Ed Lee explains.

There is no doubting Shaun White is

the most famous snowboarder on the

planet, having dominated his sport

for over a decade, earning himself

millions of dollars in the process.

After picking up his first Olympic

gold in 2006, his arsenal of tricks

put him head and shoulders above the

rest.

He's about to Tomahawk. Here

we go. Has he got it? Yes he has!

What Beaver Marley. But four years

ago at the games in Sochi, the Shaun

White we had become accustomed to

didn't turn up to the party.

Shaun

White has missed out on a medal.

I

think after Sochi, it was a nice

eye-opener for me of what life is

really like. That bubble you are in

is shattered and it's like, OK, what

do I really want to do and what is

next?

Before, it was all

snowboarding and win, win, win.

Since Sochi, he has had time to look

back and focus on other aspects.

After some time away and when he had

we found his will to win, he set his

side on podiums once again. But in

October last, there was a setback in

his journey. Whilst riding in New

Zealand, he suffered his most severe

crash today. A helicopter took him

from pipe to hospital bed. He was

left with 62 stitches in his face.

It wasn't just the physical wounds

that needed time to heal.

That just

really kind of three mere loop. I

wasn't ready for it and all of a

sudden I'm in the hospital, do I

want this? Am I ready for this? I

set my goal is to face the fear and

work through the run.

In typical

Shaun White style, he was soon back

to wowing the world loves

snowboarding, scoring a perfect 100

at the US Grand Prix in Colorado

which guaranteed him qualification

and installed him as the favourite

for these Winter Olympics. Have we

seen your best run or have you been

saving something for the Olympics?

I

don't think you've seen my best run.

Actually, I know. But I definitely

have a couple of things in mind that

I've been working on that I'd like

to iron out and here is the time to

basically do it and try to put them

in my run.

It was all set up for a

classic at Phoenix Snow Park.

So, Patrick Burgener the lad from

Montana looking very relaxed.

He is

loving it.

loving it.

This silver medallist

from the ring is his coach. -- from

durian is his coach. You saw him

duck out of shot.

The first man to

bring a back switch line into a run

solidly.

solidly. So, kicking things off,

nice and solid.

Back-to-back ten

80s.

80s.

Now, backside 360. He needs to

up the degree difficulty there. Oh,

backside ten. Switch backside ten.

And then into the big heave Ho. The

hands go up.

He is loving it. One of

the biggest runs I have ever seen

from Pat Bergara. The back-to-back

tens open it up and he has great

amplitude on that.

And technically

as well, very, very good.

as well, very, very good.

84. The

first big run we have seen landed.

Next up, Chase Josey. They call him

the man in the mirror. His run is a

reflection of himself, forwards and

backwards, his switch riding is

incredible. He is going backwards

now, so play -- pay close attention.

Switch double grab love. Switch

double Michael Chuck. The switch

frontside 1080. A frontside 900. And

the double Michael Chuck. The only

thing you were missing bad to make

that a frontside nine instead of the

double grab love.

I'm going to play

devils advocate here. He needs more

rotation on these hits. We will see

it from the boys later on.

87.7

five. I've got to say it, the judges

had put themselves in a difficult

position already. We are pushing the

high 80s.

high 80s.

Scotty James. So much has

been said about this man. He

certainly looks relaxed. A smile on

his face. Look at him. He's enjoying

every minute of this.

every minute of this. So, the

classic run is 12 to 12. Frontside

1260. Oh, my goodness. Verities.

Backside 1260.

So, back-to-back 12

is done.

Frontside 900. A huge

crippler air. Now, switch backside.

1260. There it is! He has done it.

What a run to lay down first go.

That is ridiculous. Yes,

back-to-back 12 60s.

back-to-back 12 60s. 92. So, Scotty

James moves into first place and

Shaun White knows that the heat is

on already. It's only first runs,

ladies and gentlemen, and Shaun

White have had a little nudge from

Scotty James.

You can see he has his

eyes closed, taking a view deep

breaths. A quick slap and clap with

his coach at the top there.

This is

where Shaun White comes in to

resign. He is brilliant under

pressure. -- comes into his own. Oh

my goodness, it was absolutely

massive into Switch 1080. The

skyhook, may lost a tiny bit of

space in the butter. He needs to

hold this, which he does! How did he

hold onto that? Frontside 12 and he

had to tuck his head in. It's like

he was landing in the power of the

wave. He's lost his helmet into the

crowd. He looks like he's been

electrocuted! What are they doing?

It's like it is the third run the

way they are behaving. I need that

back, he said. Yes, you do, Shaun.

It's not over yet. We know if he

gets pushed, that will be a 14 14.

94.2 five. Shaun White is claiming

it but this is not third and final

runs, we are finishing up only their

first run here at the men's halfpipe

final here in Phoenix Park. Let's

take a look at the scores:

Let's take a look at the

Raibu Katayama is the only other

ride in there with a 14.

ride in there with a 14. Jake Pates,

currently in seven.

Fell on the last

double court 1260. So, if you put

that down, he should see a hike in

his school.

Stretching out his

hamstrings and a little oddly.

Powers into that double Michael

Chuck. Really nice, that. So high at

the transition.

No one else rotates

like him, do they?

like him, do they?

OK, the front

nine. A bit flat. Backside 1260.

Verities. Beautiful.

He landed that

perfectly.

I really liked that run.

It was a really nice run. It felt

solid. For me, amplitude might be

the issue. On the biggest spins,

when you look at them, are they

busy? Jake Pates moves into sixth

place just behind Patrick Burgener.

Next rider in, Ayumu Hirano. We are

into the final three riders and

these are the men vying for gold.

Oh, stratospheric backside air from

him. Frontside 14. Has he got the

speed for the switch 14? Yes he has.

Back-to-back 1414. Is this going to

be a backside 1260?

It is! He makes

it look easy. You knew he would land

it from the minute he took off.

Ladies and gentlemen, the heat is

on. It is on the street. Look at the

Japanese coaches. They deserve that

after Yuto Totsuka going down, they

needed some good news, and Ayumu

Hirano has landed the biggest run

there is in halfpipe snowboarding

right now. Enormous backside air.

Look at this. Five and a half metres

into the bad side --. Frontside at

14.

Look at the composure. The grab

is held for ever. It enables him to

spin as much as he does.

Shaun White

is into the biggest Olympic fight of

his career. He has never been put

under this pressure. Back-to-back 14

is and then following it up with

backside 12 60s.

He has got so much

time the spins aren't rushed.

And

then there's final 1260, he has

still got the amplitude that even

though it's his last hit on the

pipe. That is a run which would give

the scientists + a headache.

To land

that run, to not lose his

that run, to not lose his head, 95.2

five. We have talked long and hard

about whether judges would have to

go. Ayumu Hirano moves into first

place.

I am just ripping this script

up here, Ed. That is gone.

But we

knew this was going to happen. We

knew it would be close. Shaun White

has dominated halfpipe Riding for

the last 12 years and now there are

two men pushing him hard. We have

seen one of them dropped, this is

the second. Scotty James, the

Australian, who won so many of the

big major halfpipe contests in 2017.

He was furious when he lost out to

Shaun White in Snowmass three weeks

ago. He landed the best run of his

life and Shaun White scored a

perfect 100 to steal his glory. Can

he redeem himself here?

Frontside at

1260. Into backside 1260. That is

the best one he has ever done of

those. Massive.

Frontside 1080.

Wow.

I'm holding my breath. Switch

backside 1260 with a hand down. He

is trying to claim it at the end

there.

A switch backside 1260. The

biggest trick in snowboarding right

now and that is why. It is hard, it

is difficult.

I would love to see that score

broken down trick by trick. I think

he was on target there certainly for

a mid-90s school.

He is still in

third place.

Ayumu Hirano tops the

leaderboard, Shaun White is in

second place. That is not a number

we are used to seeing next to Shaun

White's name at the Olympics. This

is a man who was so used to being

given the luxury of a victory lap.

Now he is in the fight of his life

for his third Olympic gold medal.

Winds up into a huge frontside 1440.

Will we see the 14 here? It is low.

Yes. Oh, he puts it down but he has

lost all of his momentum into the

540. The Tomahawk is there.

Oh, it

is not fair.

The first run helmet throw feels a

very long way away the Shaun Wright

right now. -- Shaun White. He is in

very uncharted territory. All change

at the top. Ayumu Hirano is in gold

medal position. Shaun White in

silver and Scotty James in bronze.

silver and Scotty James in bronze. I

would love to see Patrick Burgener

land this run.

Me to. There is a man

enjoying his snowboarding. He has

ditched the jacket. He has gone for

more aerodynamics.

Cranking the

bindings down. Halfpipe riding is

about aerial ability, but it is all

based, the foundation is in board

control and edge control. That is

what gives you your power to launch

tricks like that.

tricks like that. Back-to-back tens.

That was very tidy. Huge backside

360. Go on, Pat! It is looking

really good this run, oh, my

goodness!

Switchback 362 Switch

double Michael Chuck. That is a

massive run.

A huge run from Patrick

Burgener and it is the second helm

toss we have seen and it is just as

justifiable. Look at the height on

that! He landed right at the top of

the transition there and he is

pretty much the same height, the

height is a really good consistency

in this run. He grabbed the whole

way round.

Scotty James is in bronze

medal position. Patrick Burgener

fourth-place. He needed a 92 to beat

Scotty James, magnanimous in that

fourth place.

fourth place. Raibu Katayama, he is

sat in sixth place.

He needs to

unleash hell.

Huge backside air to start things

off.

Just tagged the landing a

little bit.

little bit. Into the backside 1260.

Keep your speed up here, come on!

Huge front 12. He dipped a little

bit. The amplitude dipped in the

middle and maybe the technicality

with the 900 in there but he got six

hits. Ayumu only has five hits. I

think Shaun only has five hits. So

the lower amplitude giving Raibu

Katayama more hits in the pipe. But

that is one of the most important

things to understand in halfpipe

riding and that is why amplitude

given so much wait. If you did not

the amplitude, they dislike the

multiplier on your score.

87 as we

thought. Sixth place.

Ben Ferguson. His halfpipe run is

unlike anyone else's. It's not about

the numbers, it is not about the big

spins, it is about linking creative

insanely difficult tricks and adding

a little bit of flair like that

backside grab. Big clean air to

fakie to kick-off.

Opens early.

Otherwise he would have landed on

his back. Come on, Ben Ferguson.

Huge backside 360. The biggest

Switch McTwist we have seen. The

smoothest double alley-oop. But was

beautiful. That was the best run I

have seen from him. That was so

good. Everyone is giving us their

best runs.

He doesn't have the big

tricks we have seen from the other

riders but what it has is the

amplitude, the creativity, the

variety. 90.75, a very well-deserved

fourth-place. Should it have pushed

a little bit higher? The Japanese

rider Ayumu Hirano currently in gold

medal position. He just landed the

biggest run in halfpipe snowboard,

can he better it?

can he better it?

Those T-shirts

which the guys are wearing those

ganbare which means do your best.

He has to go for the ten.

It is not

to be.

He has gone on the front 12,

he has cracked.

It doesn't matter.

We said it before, is there anywhere

left to go? He has laid down the

biggest run in halfpipe snowboarding

with enormous backside out. They

were very close to perfect --

backside air. It is a huge wait for

Ayumu Hirano. He sits in gold medal

position but Scotty James and Shaun

White are still to drop.

He is

taking home a medal but what colour

will it be?

Only two men left to

decide that. The Australian coach

talking to the famously competitive

Australian Scotty James. He was

distraught when he lost to Shaun

White in Snow Mass. He has got to

lay down the run of his life now if

he is going to overhaul Ayumu

Hirano. Look at him, he looks

relaxed. There is a wry smile in the

corners of his mouth. Take a deep

breath and hold it.

He doesn't wear

boxing gloves by coincidence. He is

here to do battle and he needs the

run of his life here.

run of his life here.

Big frontside

1260.

Backside 1260. Camera, join

us. There it is.

Oh, no! Scotty

James will be the bronze medallist

today. And for the first time in a

long time, it is by his own hand.

Scotty James had the potential with

his biggest run today potentially to

take that. He waves to the crowd. No

shortage of love. I think he can

walk away and say he gave his best.

The fact he has not gone home with a

gold, that may have started three

weeks ago when he lost to Shaun

White after landing his best run and

Shaun scored that perfect 100. So

Scotty James is now a passenger with

a bronze medal watching the fight

for gold. Shaun White, the most

successful halfpipe snowboard of all

time is about to drop in. And he is

in unfamiliar territory. Every time

he has taken the gold it has been

with the luxury of a victory lap.

Now he is under pressure. He needs

95.25 and the run of his life.

Switch 1440. The skyhook. The

fixture of every winning Shaun

Wright run.

Plenty of time for that.

Now, Shaun White, can he?

He has

landed it!

Oh, my goodness!

It is no

longer about the snowboarding, it is

about the judges. Look at him. The

first time he has landed that run in

competition. Scotty James cannot

believe he has found another gear

and I don't think Ayumu Hirano Khan.

Shaun White might have done it.

Let's wait and see what the scores

are saying.

It is a backside air.

The difference between them is a

backside air and a frontside for 40.

This could be it, this could be

history. Judges, put the world out

of its misery.

We have the replays

first, Tim.

Look at the direction.

His head is looking almost out of

the rotation. He is using every

ounce of his fibre to get these

tricks around. The to grab there,

frowned upon in snowboarding.

It is

testament to the amplitude he has

got that he is not requiring a body

grab to get round. The grab on that.

This is his trademark signature

manoeuvre that he unveiled in

Vancouver.

Double McTwist. Two

inverted 540s. And here is the other

1260. Ayumu was using the backside

air. Shaun drew it first hit top of

the pipe.

He has put that big

dangerous trick in. More risk equals

more points.

Shaun White polarises

opinion in snowboarding. He has been

the most dedicated competitor. He

has been accused of going... Shaun

White is the gold medallist here in

2018. Say what you want about him,

think what you want about him, Shaun

White has won today. That was an

incredible display of halfpipe

snowboarding and no one can take

that away from him. Look what it

means. He has played it cool. It is

a second silver medal for Ayumu

Hirano, but I don't think he can

have any complaints. It was not a

difficult decision for the judges.

And after a heated season, a

magnanimous handshake from Scotty

James to congratulate the gold

medallist. Today was brilliant.

Simply brilliant. Shaun White, truly

tested for the first time in 12

years. And he has delivered in some

style.

My goodness me, that was

absolutely breathtaking.

And he has

that on a masterclass here at

Phoenix Park in Bokwang to take the

gold medal.

A clean sweep for

snowboarding here. Congratulations,

just how hard was that final?

It was

tough. My first run was great. I did

the biggest 14 of my life that I

will ever do and that really set the

tone for the rest of the

competition. I was really hoping I

would just go straight into the

first but Ayumu put down an amazing

run. I had to step it up. Then the

last run, the pressure is on. It was

great.

A little word on Ayumu and

Scotty and the standard of riding in

that final?

Those guys are

super-talented. We have it out at

the end because there has been this

sort of tension. It is like backlit

out and maybe not the nicest smile

that the top -- battle it out. We

are all fighting for the same thing.

I was really glad to come out on top

today. These guys have pushed me to

get to this point to do these kind

of runs.

What a final! Congratulations to

Shaun White whose team USA's 100

Olympic gold medallist. Later we

will have the men's downhill and the

women's giant slalom. See you

tomorrow.